Protesters in Manhattan demand more indoor dining

"These people are in dire financial straits," said Mark Fox, president of Fox Lifestyle Hospitality Group, referring to his employees.

Fox called for Congress to pass the RESTAURANTS Act, a proposed bill that would provide a $120 billion relief fund for restaurant owners and New York City's 167,000 restaurant workers.

New York City restaurants are set to resume indoor dining at 25% capacity on Wednesday (Sept. 30).

New York City was the only region in the state where indoor dining was not allowed during the third phase of its reopening plan, as health officials worried that people eating inside without masks could spread the novel coronavirus.

The percentage of COVID-19 tests taken in New York state that have come back positive has inched up to 1.5%, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday, a worrisome trend for the former epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus epidemic.

The rise in positivity in New York above the 1% target comes as 27 other states recorded increases in the number of cases for two straight weeks.

While New York's positive test rate remains much lower than those in some midwestern states where 15% of tests were coming back positive, it marks a significant uptick from the state's rate, which has hovered at 1% or below for weeks.